Numerous ball/tee placement devices have been developed to assist golfers in inserting a tee into the ground, with the ball already repositioned on the tee, without requiring the golfer to stoop or bend over. Such devices have traditionally employed some type of vertically elongate rod or pole having a gripping device at a lower end for supporting the ball/tee combination, and a trigger or release device movably mounted adjacent an upper end of the pole for releasing the gripping device. These arrangements have typically required the golfer to utilize both hands in engagement with the device, such as one hand supporting the pole and the other activating the trigger or release device, to permit proper manipulation of the device, particularly release of the device from the ball/tee combination after the tee has been properly inserted into the ground. These known devices which require both hands to effect proper manipulation thereof have hence detracted from the use such devices. For example, these two-handed devices typically require the golfer to initially insert the ball/tee combination into the ground and then release the device therefrom, whereupon the golfer returns the device to the bag or cart for storage, then picks up the appropriate club and returns to the tee area to effect striking of the ball. Many of these devices have not provided any capability for picking up either the tee or the ball and, even it they do, the golfer must first return to the cart so as to again retrieve the device from its storage position. These known devices have greatly increased the overall complications associated with their use, particularly due to the two-hand manipulation required thereby.
Examples of known ball/tee placement devices are shown by the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,609,198, 3,889,946, 3,904,200, 4,526,369, 4,589,661, 4,616,826, 4,714,250, 4,819,938, 4,949,961, 4,951,947, 4,969,646, 5,171,010, 5,205,598, 5,306,000, 5,310,177, 5,330,178 and 5,439,213.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved ball/tee placement device for use in playing golf, which placement device overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with prior known devices.
More specifically, this invention relates to an improved ball/tee placement device for playing golf wherein the device can be utilized for inserting the ball/tee combination into the ground while being manipulated with one hand, including removal of the device from the ball/tee combination after the latter has been inserted into the ground, without requiring the golfer to stoop or bend over.
The improved ball/tee placement device of this invention, as aforesaid, can also be positioned in a generally upright self-supporting position when not being supported by the golfer, such device being positioned close to the golfer so as to be readily accessible when not in use, whereupon the golfer can simultaneously support a club in one hand and the placement device in the other hand when moving into position to place the ball/tee combination, with the golfer then positioning the device slightly to one side out of the golfer's way, with the golfer still being generally in position to engage the club and effect striking of the ball. The device, in the preferred embodiment, employs ground-penetrating spikes which enable it to be self-supported in an upright position when not being manually supported and manipulated by the golfer.
The ball/tee placement device of the present invention, as aforesaid, further permits the golfer to pick up or remove the tee from the ground after striking the ball, without bending over, merely by utilizing the tee engaging part of the device for this purpose. In a preferred embodiment, the upper end of the device is also preferably provided with a ball-engaging gripping cup so that by vertically inverting the device the upper end can be utilized for engaging and picking up a ball without requiring bending by the golfer.
The improved ball/tee placement device, as aforesaid, also preferably provides an interior storage compartment within the elongate rod to permit storage of a plurality of tees therein, which tees are readily accessible by the golfer when needed.
The device of this invention, as aforesaid, is of a simple and compact structure, is simple and efficient to use, and is simple to store or carry in or on a golf bag.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with devices of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.